1968 Chrysler Newport Base Convertible 2-door 6.3l on 2040-cars

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2021 Chrysler Pacifica refresh spotted with its new bits covered

The Chrysler Pacifica is the critical darling of the minivan segment, but FCA seems keen to make it even better with a 2021 refresh we're expecting to see later this year. From these photos, we can tell that FCA's beloved people hauler will get some front- and rear-end updates. The spy who captured these photos also passed along the fact that the engineers inside moved quickly to cover up its interior, hinting that there will be news on that front as well. There might be more to this that we can't see from the outside. Rumors have been swirling for the better part of a year that Chrysler has plans to add all-wheel drive to the Pacifica's option sheet.  FCA has remained mum about this potential development, but it would be a logical step to keep the minivan relevant as the industry continues to feel the effects of crossover creep.  If it does come to fruition, this wouldn't be the first time FCA has offered all-wheel drive on a minivan, but historically the feature has come at the expense of another wildly popular option: the company's Stow 'n Go seating system, as the cubbies have always occupied the same space that would be needed to install a prop shaft to carry power to the rear axle. Maybe FCA's engineers have figured out how to combine the two, or will simply offer both as options that can't be combined as they have in the past. Given what appears to be the production-ready state of this particular test car, we may not have to wait long to find out. 

2020 Chrysler Voyager priced at $28,480

CarsDirect got eyes on early order guides for the 2020 Chrysler Voyager, revealing the minivan's MSRP in base L trim as $26,985 before a $1,495 destination charge, for a total of $28,480. The only other trim available to the public, the Voyager LX, rings up at $31,290. That means that not only will the Voyager L and LX replace the Pacifica L and LX trims, the Voyager will start out $250 cheaper than the 2019 Pacifica models before incentives. The Voyager LXi, reserved for fleet customers, charges $34,490, which is $500 less than the Pacifica Touring trim. The figures make the Voyager L $215 less expensive than the Kia Sedona, $3,205 less than the Honda Odyssey, and $4,430 less than the Toyota Sienna. The closest price competitor sits on the other side of the dealership, that being the Dodge Grand Caravan SE priced just $65 above the Voyager L. With Chrysler becoming the people-mover brand, many expect the Voyager to replace the hoary Grand Caravan, so buyers shouldn't need to suffer analysis paralysis for too long. We still aren't sure why Chrysler needed to create a new model to replace trim levels, but perhaps it was to break buyer perception that the Grand Caravan was the first and last stop for an inexpensive minivan. Transaction prices are so high on Pacificas — and frankly, the Pacifica looks so nice — that casual shoppers might have thought why bother investigating the Chrysler. Chrysler worked to keep things financially frugal on the Voyager by omitting splashier options from the menu. Infotainment begins and ends with the seven-inch Uconnect touchscreen, the larger 8.4-inch screen forbidden. Driver assistance tech will be limited to the cost-extra rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic detection; items like adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking aren't offered. And only the fleet model gets ritzy treats like leatherette seats, second-row Stow 'n Go chairs, and remote start. The LX only goes so far as second-row quad seats and in-floor storage bins. Yet with the same sheetmetal and the same 287-horsepower Pentastar V6 and nine-speed transmission under the hood, only the black door handles and badging will give Voyager owners away, and they can always buy one in black to help the illusion along.

Next Chrysler minivan spied inside and out

Chrysler isn't supposed to unveil the next-generation Town & Country until the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, but FCA is hard at work getting the minivan ready for launch. Our spies recently caught prototypes on the road and took copious photos of the interior and exterior, giving us an early idea what to expect from the future family-hauler. These shots make it pretty clear that FCA's engineers aren't done working on the next T&C yet, and all of the camouflage on the outside makes any styling changes very difficult to spot. However, the company is testing the future version with a current one, and the new design appears to have harder angles. One intriguing picture clearly shows the Dodge logo on the back of the minivan. The Dodge Grand Caravan is supposed to be killed off for 2016, though. We've also heard the next-generation minivan will get a plug-in hybrid variant, which was reportedly confirmed last week. The interior is slightly less concealed than the outside, but development is still ongoing in there, too. It's easy to spot the familiar infotainment screen from other FCA products, and there's just a peek at the T&C's instrument cluster, including the design for the tachometer. A rotary dial gearshift also appears to be in the center console, similar to the Chrysler 200. Even at this early stage, it appears that FCA is trying to take the next T&C a little more upmarket compared to the current iteration. The move fits well with earlier rumors of the price increasing for the future model. Related Video: